The configuration path of the balanced compulsory education resources supply in the context of equal rights to rent and purchase: Based on the fsQCA analysis of 31 cities in China

Equal rights to rent and purchase affects the supply of compulsory education resources. How to promote the balanced compulsory education resources supply in the context of equal rights to rent and purchase is currently a hot issue amongst government and society. To achieve such balance, conducting research in the context of equal rights to rent and purchase becomes crucial. However, existing research has yet to provide sufficient explanations for the differentiated paths for realizing the balanced compulsory education resources supply in practice. This study uses 31 cities in China as case samples and jointly applies fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and the ‘technology–organization–environment’ (TOE) framework. The findings are summarized as follows. Firstly, the balanced compulsory education resources supply in the context of equal rights to rent and purchase is affected by six key technological, organizational, and environmental factors. Namely, data co-construction and sharing, technological infrastructure, attention allocation, government information disclosure, policy support for equal rights to rent and purchase, and level of urban economic development. Secondly, the linkage matching of technological, organizational and environmental conditions forms diversified configurations that drive the balanced compulsory education resources supply in the context of equal rights to rent and purchase. These configurations include the ‘organization’ driving model, ‘technology–environment’ driving model, ‘technology–organization–environment’ driving model, and ‘technology-organization’ driving model. Finally, eastern, central and western China are driven by different configuration paths. Amongst them, eastern China has relatively good basic conditions at the technological, organizational and environmental levels. The combination of different conditions can drive the balanced compulsory education resources supply in a ‘different paths lead to the same destination’ manner. Although the development in central China is somewhat restricted, the radiation and impetus from eastern China, in combination with the different conditions in central China, can drive the balanced compulsory education resources supply. Western China shows no advantages at the technological, organizational and environmental levels. Faced with restrictions in organizational and environmental conditions, the government in western China should develop the necessary technological conditions to drive the balanced compulsory education resources supply.